REMINISCENCES OF A
PIONEER.
EDITED BY CLEMENT L. MARTZOLFF, B. PED.
[The following reminiscences are from
the pen of a Highland county
pioneer, one Thomas Rogers, who as the
recital reveals, was born a Vir-
ginian, and at the close of the American
Revolution, moved with his
family to Kentucky and thence in 1795
with the Massie party journeyed
to Paint Creek, vicinity of Chillicothe,
and there abided. This recital
of the scenes of early times, in Ohio,
is worthy of preservation and perusal,
as it is a narrative at first hand,
picturing the every day life of the prim-
itive times and pioneer settlers,
written by one, who though at the time
of writing was nearly ninety years of
age, had clear and vivid recollections
of the long ago. This interesting
document was secured for publication
by Prof. C. L. Martzolff, Athens, Ohio,
who has added to the value of the
"reminiscences" by his
editorial notes. -E.O. R.]
GREENFIELD, (O.) Nov. 3, 1871.
This day I, Thomas Rogers, Sr., seat
myself to write a short
sketch of my life and (of) my
forefathers.
I was born, 1782, in Loudon County,
Virginia, on Goose
Creek. My father, William Rogers, took what was called a
thru life1 lease on a large tract of
land some ten or twelve years
before my day. At that time the country
was under British rule;
but at the close of the Revolutionary
War the country fell into
new hands and my father's title to his
land was disputed, and
the exact manner in which it was settled
I am not able to state
at this distant period. But the result was, two large slave hold-
ers settled on each side of him and so
angered him with their
barbarous treatment of their slaves that
he began to meditate on
a move to some other part.
In the fall of 1783 or 84, I think it
was, my father and two
of the brothers took a trip over the
mountains to the Redstone
or Monongahela country to seek a new
home. At that time they
heard of the great cane lands in
Kentucky as they met with some
that had visited it, and were beating up
for volunteers to join
1A three life lease covered three
generations or 99 years.
(190)
Reminiscences of a Pioneer. 191
them the next spring. So father returned
wonderfully bent on
seeing it himself in the spring. So, he
sold outright his claim
to one of those slaveholders and he and
Hamilton, his brother,
met the delegation at Redstone now
Brownsville,2 (Pennsyl-
vania) where they had a flatboat in
readiness and embarked for
the cane land. They all landed in safety
in Limestone now
Maysville. From this they set out for
Lexington. This place
was one of the most noted and largest
settlements in Kentucky
off from water navigation. Lexington at
this time was a stock-
aded fort but the inhabitants were just
beginning to venture to
settle out some distance.
So father and uncle took a lease on some
land some five
miles southeast of the fort on a creek
called Hickman. Here
they cleared and planted six or seven
acres of corn and built a
cabin for our family, as uncle was a
single man at this time.
So after the crop was raised and cabin
built father returned to
Virginia by the overland route through
the Cumberland moun-
tains to prepare for moving the family
to the cabin in Kentucky.
This was considered a great undertaking
as the road across the
Alleghany mountains was so rough and
rocky that it was merely
possible to pass with a wagon. And
indeed fifteen years after
this (when) I went with mother on
horseback I thought it was
then almost impossible for a team to
take more than the empty
wagon over some places, but so it was.
They made the trip to
Redstone on the Monongahela even and
procured a Kentucky boat.
Two or three families generally joined
and purchased a boat.
They got them made to suit the size or
number of families that
would occupy them. And as it was always
considered a very dan-
gerous voyage down the Ohio they
commonly went down in com-
panies of three or four boats and at
night would tie all together
and float as near the middle of the
river as possible for fear of
an attack of the Indians on the shore.
2Redstone Fort had for years been the
meeting place of emigrants
from Virginia and Pennsylvania on their
way to Kentucky. It was
the rendezvous of George Rogers Clark's
men in the winter of 1788 as
he prepared to go on his noted western
campaign. At that time it was
claimed to be within the territory of
Virginia.
192 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
On this voyage down the river an
incident occurred that is
the first thing that I can distinctly
recollect in my life. I was
then just three year and a few days old.
There was a great bus-
tle in the boat, looking at something in
the river. I being a
pretty inquisitive little fellow was
anxious to see. A man in
the boat held me up above the sides of
the boat and told me to
look down the river and I saw the
buffaloes, head and shoulders
out of the water. And even to this day
it seems as vivid as it
was at that day. The next thing that I
recollect distinctly is the
day we landed at our cabin in Kentucky.
I was standing up in
the forepart of the wagon looking with
great anxiety for our
cabin. So when we came in sight I yelled
out, "I see our home!
I see our house!"
Now I shall attempt to give some account
of our forefathers.
My grandparents on my father's side were
from the Old Coun-
try. Hamilton Rogers was an Irishman.
Isabel, his wife, was
of English descent - real Anglo-Saxon
blood. They were
united in marriage in Buck's county,
Pennsylvania, but the exact
date I can only infer from my father's
birthday. He was born
1751 the year the Old Style was changed.
I have heard him
often speak of it. My grandfather was a
shoe-maker by trade
and followed it to the day of his death
until he was almost double
bending over his work.
They settled in Virginia about three
miles east of Leesburg,
Loudon county, on Catoctin mountain, and
there raised a numer-
ous family - eight sons and four
daughters. While on this farm
my father became of age and went down on
Goose Creek (and)
took a lease on some government land
from King George's
agents. This was before the
Revolutionary War. Here he
found my mother, Phoebe Swart, the third
daughter of Arthur
Swart, a respectable citizen near
Middleburg, a wagon maker
by trade. They were Hollanders or (of)
Low Dutch origin.
On this farm he had six children were
born. While here he
was called out to serve a tour in the
War of the Revolution but
I cannot recollect distinctly what
battles he was in but I remem-
ber hearing him tell about the battle at
White Plain and Sara-
toga. However that don't matter so it
was he was not a Tory.
Reminiscences of a Pioneer. 193
So after the close of the War and
Independence declared,
King George's titles were called in
question (and) my father
began to think of moving to some part
where he would not be
annoyed by the screams of the tortured
slaves. So the result
was we find him at length settled in
Kentucky as heretofore
stated with the hope of making Kentucky
a free state. So when
she attained a population that entitled
her (to) a constitution of
her own my father took a deep interest
in getting those elected
that would favor his views on the slave
question and did succeed
in electing Colonel James Smith and
Father Rice as he was
called. But when the final vote was cast
slavery gained it by
one vote. This was in 1792. Here I will
leave this part of my
narrative and give some further account
of Kentucky life.
My father and brother Hamilton took a
lease on land on
Little Hickman belonging to Thomas
Cavens, an old bachelor
who made his home at my father's until
he found a wife. Here
the two jointly labored and cleared out
their lease and sold
their time to their landlord.
In the meantime the Indians committed
depredations on the
settlements around. So there was (a)
draft made for soldiers
to make a campaign against them,
chastise them and bring them
to time if possible. So just in spring
when the time and labor
was so much needed to prepare for a crop
the expedition started
on a six weeks' campaign. If I recollect
it was called Clark's
campaign.3 I can recollect well seeing
my mother and my older
brothers and sisters all out in the
clearing hauling rails, making
fence, burning brush (and) doing what
they could while father
was gone.
But fortunately they were not kept away
as long as they ex-
pected or they would not (have) been
able to get in their corn
in good time.
When the friends in Virginia heard from
us in Kentucky
they began to talk of following to the
fat land. So one after
another came on till all his brothers,
sisters and fathers (?) all
3This must refer to the Indian
expedition of 1786 which ended by
Clark taking a party to the Wabash
region in the autumn of the same
year. The result was a keen
disappointment.
Vol. XIX. -13.
194 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
moved to Kentucky. But hare I am a
little ahead of my story.
My father sold his time on his lease and
bought land on Stoner
Creek in Bourbon county. Here all his
brothers and fathers (?)
came and settled in one neighborhood.
Now we might suppose
this restless spirit of emigration would
cease and settle down in
contentment but not so. Just at this
time in 1792, the
conven-
tion rose and slavery triumphed. One of
the members of the
convention, Col. James Smith, who lived
near to us on his re-
turn came to see father and gave a full
account of their proceed-
ings. I remember well my father's
expression after hearing
Smith through. "Well, well,
Kentucky will not hold me much
longer." Mother was standing on her
feet listening with breath-
less anxiety. On hearing father's
expression (she) asked,
"Well, William, where next?"
Father replied, "I will be among
the first to go to the Northwestern
Territory," and he made good
his promise.
Here I will leave my narrative and go
back to the first set-
tling in Kentucky to relate some
incidents that may be of inter-
est to those who are fond of romance or
scenes of the hunter.
I was always a very attentive listener
to stories about hunting.
I remember seeing my father come home
from a hunting
tour while we lived on Hickman in
Fayette county. It was after
night. I saw him bring in his load of
meat and skins. The meat
was in a bag made out of a buffalo hide.
There was buffalo
beef, bear meat for pork and deer for
venison-all cut off the
bones. I remember well the buffalo skin
was very fine wool.
So of course it was a young one not more
perhaps than a year
and a half old. I remember well seeing
my mother shearing
the wool off it and I think I wore stockings
made from the wool.
It was very common at this time for
farmers to tan their own
leather for shoes and dress their deer
skins for clothing. Buck-
skin overalls were a common dress at
this time. My father gen-
erally tanned his heavy hides such as
buffalo and bear and beef-
hide when he killed one. He was a
shoemaker also and gener-
ally worked till bedtime on his shoe
bench. As soon as my sis-
ters were big enough to sit on the loom
bench he had a loom pro-
vided for them. So the loom was kept up
till bedtime and us
boys were furnished work of some kind
also, shelling corn or
Reminiscences of a Pioneer. 195
filling quills for the weaver and indeed
very often in the clearing
burning brush till nine or ten o'clock
at night. Once in a while
we could (have) a night to take a hunt
for coons and opossums.
But it was the custom in father's house
to keep all at work of
some kind till bed time.
Here I will leave this part of my
history and relate some of
the incidents I heard father relate
during the Indian campaign.
First I will tell how they prepared
their provisions for their
tour in the woods. They take about a
gallon of corn and parch
it well then pound it fine and mix it
with as much sugar as would
make it sweet enough for coffee, then
put it in a buckskin bag
and stow it in their knapsack; then take
a chunk of raw bacon
wrap it up well (and) stow this in the
knapsack. A tincup
(was) tied to the strap of their
knapsack. This store is for a
reserve-never to be used till there is
no other shift; with a
tomahawk and butcher's knife and
rifle-gun and blanket; this is
the equipage of (an) Indian campaign. It
was common to have
a commissary department on hand but it
was very difficult to take
a full supply of provisions, hence the
necessity of having some-
thing to fall back on.
On this trip there were some amusing
anecdotes occurred.
One I will relate. One of the hunters
and a spy also, was told
one morning as they started out on their
march there must be
no shooting that day unless it was at
the enemy. Mike came in
(and) went direct to the general,
"Well, Mike, what is your re-
port for the day?" "Well, not
much only I found a buffalo
lying dead down in the branch. Would it
be any harm to take a
piece of the rump?" "Ah, Mike,
how came he dead?" "Ecod,
that was his lookout and not mine!"
So Mike was allowed to
take rump and all and the general took
share with the rest and
no further complaint for breach of
orders.
In this campaign a man by the name of
Philemon Thomas
was commissary or quartermaster of whom
I shall have cause to
speak hereafter. At this point I will
leave this part of my nar-
rative and carry out the history of our
family living on Stoner
in Bourbon county.
I have told that while at this place the
brothers and sisters
and grandfathers came and leased lands
and were all settled in
196 Ohio Arch.
and Hist. Society Publications.
one neighborhood again. At this time
there was no organized
Presbyterian Church in this part of the
country. There was oc-
casional preaching in Paris by Adam
Rankin, an Old Side Se-
ceder but the people on Cane Ridge and
Stoner settlements united
and formed a congregation and called it
Cane Ridge on account
of the dense canebrakes that surrounded
it.
Here they called Robert Finley4 as
their pastor, a very able
and eloquent man from one of the
Carolinas, I am not certain
which. He soon gathered a large
congregation together and all
seemed to promise well. Religion seemed
to (be) the all absorb-
ing topic. He soon established a high
school to educate young
men for the ministry. Religious zeal run
very high even to en-
thusiasm. Just in the midst of this
popular prosperity it got out
that their pastor was seen coming home
from Paris drunk. I
can remember well my father came home
one day from the black-
smith shop. It was on the road from town
to Cane Ridge. He
seemed very sad. Mother said to him,
"What is the matter,
William?" "Oh," said he,
"I have heard sad news and from one
I cannot doubt. Our pastor was seen
passing his house so drunk
he could scarcely ride." This struck a damp on all the neighbor-
hood. This sore stroke on the church and
the triumph of slav-
ery so defeated my father's prospects
that now he was deter-
mined then even to leave Kentucky and
make one more trial for
a free country.
Just about this time Nate Massie issued
a proclamation to
all who wished to explore the Scioto
country to meet him at the
Three Islands now Manchester, on a
certain day in May next
and he would make a tour through the
Paint Creek and Scioto
country. So on the appointed day about
fifty men from all parts
were on the ground equipped for the
trip, some of them old In-
dian fighters and many of them young but
very desirous to see
Indians. So some of these old veterans
told these brave lads
they would hide or run if they saw an
Indian and so it turned
out. When their bravery was needed it
was not there but as
4Robert Finley conducted classical
schools in North Carolina and
Tennessee. On the advice of Massie he
came to Chillicothe and there
established the second Presbyterian
Church in the state.
Reminiscences of a Pioneer. 197
old Captain Petty told them they would
hide, some of them, in a
sink hole or run the wrong course.
Here I will leave this part of (the)
subject and turn to the
subject of our minister's fall. He was
soon called to account
by the proper authorities and proof
being abundant was dis-
missed. From this time he seemed to give
himself up to dissi-
pation for a long time, both he and his
wife. But in justice to
him and his wife they both became
zealous and we hope true
penitents and zealous Methodists. I
heard Father Finley preach
when in connection with the Methodists
one of his best Cal-
vinistic sermons at a campmeeting on
Rattlesnake when he was
very old and frail not long before his
death.
I will now return and relate some of
(the) scenes of my
early life recollections while we lived
on Stoner. I think we
moved to our farm on Stoner in 1789.
This was a dense cane-
brake almost as thick as a hempfield.
This was fine food for
cattle as it remained green all winter.
It was common at that
day to take the cattle out to the fresh
cane region and bore holes
in the trees and logs and fill them with
salt. This would "hant"
the cattle to this place and the owner
would visit the place once
a week and call them. The lead one was
always belied. In this
way large droves were wintered for a few
more years. But the
cane was soon eat out and fields of corn
took its place. At this
(time) I was about eight years old.
In this creek was abundance of fine
fish, so in the spring
at spawning time the riffles would be
literally covered with fish.
And it was our task every day to go out
where the cane was
dead and dry and gather it for torches
to fish with at night.
This was great sport and very profitable
also. As little fellows
that were too young to handle the gig
(we) would keep along
the shore with a basket and receive the
fish and pack them home.
Sometimes the creek would (be) light
with torches for miles
up and down the stream as people from
miles off came to fish.
At this day grist mills were scarce and
far between, so my
father made a handmill to grind corn.
This was employment
for us boys, every night, sometimes till
bedtime, especially in the
dry season of the year. And this was the
only one in the neigh-
borhood. It was often as thronged with
people contending for
198 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
their turn as watermills are. At this
(time) sawmills were
scarce. The first one erected anywhere
in reach was at Paris
five miles below us. Father and some of
the brothers concluded
they would prepare a raft of saw logs
and float them down to
the mill at Paris. So they got their
rafts all ready for a voy-
age but a suitable freshet did not come
till it was cold weather.
However the logs must be launched and
off they went. Each
raft had its captain. I can remember
seeing them passing on
down. One man took a canoe with the
provisions and a jug of
whiskey, of course, as nothing of
importance could be done at
that day without that very essential
article. Well, on they sailed
for a mile or so till they came to a
short turn in the stream
where there was a drift of timber lodged
against trees in water.
Their rafts being heavy and unwieldly,
here one raft stuck. The
other more lucky or better managed,
passed on. Well, what
could they do to extricate themselves.
The only alternative was
to cut them asunder and let them go
alone and follow with the
boat and conduct them the best they
could. So when they got
near the milldam this was the trying
time. They could not get
them ashore as fast as they came down
and some went over
the dam, and indeed both rafts were
wrecked on the route.
I mentioned in some of the former part
of my history that
father generally tanned his own leather,
so at this time he had a
large trough full of leather in tan. It
was near the creek bank.
The creek rose one night very high
beyond its usual bounds.
In the morning his tan-trough was gone.
So as soon as the water
fell he put off down in search of his
tan-yard. About a mile
down he found it in a drift all safe. He
got it ashore, took out
the leather, hung (it) up on a tree to
dry and sent me for it.
About this time some friends from
Virginia came to visit
us; so as a matter of course, we must
show them whatever was
great or uncommon. There was a large
sycamore tree about a
mile down the creek at a place called
Stroud's Ford. When any
of the friends came we generally took
them to see the big tree.
Almost every one that came had heard of
the big tree at Stroud's
Ford. It was a place of resort for all
that visited this part.
There was a door cut in one side some
three or four feet wide.
I have seen it measured at different
times. Two persons could
Reminiscences of a Pioneer. 199
stand up in the inside and stretch out
their arms full length
from each side and touch their finger
ends in the center. It was
fully twelve feet across the hollow,
breast high to a grown per-
son. This may seem like an unreasonable
story, but I certify
to the truth of it.
I mentioned in a former page that the
brothers and grand-
father had all, or most of them,
followed my father to Kentucky
and settled near (each) other. All had
bought lands and opened
farms. Here another trouble began about
their land titles. There
were so many different methods of taking
up the wild lands that it
was very difficult to know when they got
the right one or one
that (would) stand in law. Here would
come a man and lay
claim to the place we lived on and
produce his title and my
father knew little about law and would
not venture a lawsuit.
He would rather pay for his farm over
again than run the risk
of a suit. So he paid twice for his
farm. A third claim came
on. This time he would not agree to pay
it and sold for what
was considered the worth of his
improvements to his neighbor
and let him fight it out with the man
who claimed it.
About this time Nate Massie issued a
proclamation to all
that wished to see the Scioto country to
meet him on a certain day
at the Three Islands, now Manchester,
and he would take them
through the country. At the appointed
(day) about fifty men
were on hand prepared for the trip, my
father among the rest-
all well armed and mounted. I believe
there was no formal elec-
tion for a captain or leader, but it
seemed to be fitting to award
the command to Massie although there
were several old Indian
fighters along. Captain Petty for one
and a man by the name of
Fellenash who had been a prisoner with
the Indians and was
well acquainted with Indian warfare.
Just at this time General
Wayne was negotiating a treaty with the
Indians at Greenville.
It was not expected to meet with any
hostility from them, so they
set out for the Scioto country. The
second day they arrived at
the falls on Paint Creek.5 Here
they halted and spent the even-
ing much delighted in exploring these
beautiful rich, rye-grass
5Rev.
James Finley gives a good account of this skirmish. It oc-
curred in July, 1795. See Evans' and
Stivers' Adams County, page 65.
200
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
bottoms and the beautiful streams of
water pouring over the
falls. All started in great glee down
the valley much (pleased)
with their trip so far. They did not go
far till they found a
gang of horses feeding on the fine
rye-grass bottom. "Now what
shall we do with these horses?" The
horses fled before them to
where their owners were camped at the
lower end of the bottom.
When the Indians saw the company of
armed men following
their horses they thought they were
trying to catch them. So the
Indians fired on them and our party
returned the compliment and
routed them and took all their goods.
In the scrimmage we lost a valuable man,
Joshua Robinson
by name. He and his brother
William from the Redstone coun-
try were in the company. This was all
that was touched on our
side. It was not known if there was any
Indians killed. So as
soon as they gathered up the Indians'
goods they set off with their
booty and Mr. Robinson on a bier, but it
was soon discovered that
he could not live. They halted on the
back side of the bottom
and prepared the best they could for his
funeral. They found
a large old tree with a fork lying
pretty well rotted. Here they
hewed out (a) coffin, wrapped his
blanket around him and cov-
ered (him) as well as they could with
earth then piled on large
logs to prevent wolves from digging him
out. This camp of
Indians was headed by John, a Wyandot
chief. He was at the
treaty [Greenville] but he became
offended at something and left
before it closed but must have got his
portion of the annuities
for it was rich in goods. Here they
found a white boy of four-
teen or fifteen years old. So when the
fight was over they sent
three men in pursuit of the horses
intending to get them as well
as their goods. While on pursuit of the
horses this boy6 jumped
up from his hiding place and held up
both hands for quarter. He
was taken to camp and clothed with the
best they had and a horse
and gun given him out of the booty and
he was taken home to
his parents over in Kentucky. After they
done the best they
could for the dead they set out for home
that night. They
camped over on Sunfish Creek about
eleven or twelve miles from
the battle ground. Here they put out
strong sentinels expecting
This boy was Armstrong (Wilcoxon).
Reminiscences of a Pioneer. 201
to be attacked. Well, all was quiet till
just before day the In-
dians were discovered creeping around
very sly. So they were
fired on by one of the company of
sentinels and they returned the
fire. My father who was on sentry also
could see them by the
blaze of their fire. He fired at the
lump and wounded their cap-
tain. This defeated their plans so
completely they had to take
their wounded and retreat for safety.
When my (father) fired
the Indians returned the fire by the
blaze of his gun and made
several holes in the blanket he had
round him and one ball struck
the tree he stood by about as high as
his breast. So he made a
narrow escape himself.
While part of the Indians were taking
care of their wounded
the others kept up a fire on the camp
but no damage was done
but one man7 slightly wounded
in the thigh and one horse killed.
So they packed up and made for home and
landed at Manchester
with a rich prize of plunder consisting
of three horses, one pris-
oner reclaimed and (an) abundance of
spoil. So they made a
sale of the plunder and each one bid off
such articles as he chose.
I remember the sale amounted to one
hundred and fifty pounds.
And here they separated for their homes
in different parts, some
of them from Redstone or the Monongahela
country as (it) was
called at this time. I remember well
when father and Amos
Evans came in sight my mother looked
out, "Oh," she exclaimed,
"they have had a fight with the
Indians," as she saw they were
loaded with Indian plunder such as camp
kettles, blankets and
so on.
On parting Massie told (them) he would
provide lands for
all that wanted lands on Paint Creek or
Scioto, shortly. So he
sent out handbills to different points
where (he) would be on
certain days and prepared to furnish
lands to all who would pay
in advance one-half the money at eighty
dollars per one hundred
acres. Just such land as that on Paint
Creek where they de-
feated the Indians. So he made my
father's house one point.
Here father and grandfather and several
of his brothers con-
tracted for lands and all got land they
were well pleased with.
At this time Wayne's army was about to
be discharged so
7This man was a Mr. Gilfillan.
202 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
Massie was on hand with money and bought
up warrants very
low and returned in the spring and
employed several surveyors,
went to work, and by mid-summer gave
notice to all who had
advanced him money, those lands were
ready for them; and I
believe every man was well pleased with
the selection Massie had
made for them, for he had every man's
land laid out according to
the amount of money paid him.
He assigned to my father a place on the
north fork of Paint
Creek as his home, some four miles west
of Chillicothe. He also
gave him two hundred in the big bottom
on the Scioto. In the
spring of this year, 1796, he proposed
to all who had paid for
land in advance they had the liberty to
raise corn on the prairie at
the mouth of Paint Creek. About twenty
men took up with the
offer and made a fine crop of corn which
was a very great assist-
ance to all the early settlers. That
summer he laid out Chilli-
cothe and proposed to give an in and (a)
lot to all who would
build a house on their lot that year. So
father sent my brother
John. He was then about eighteen years
old. He built his cabin
and cleared the four acre lot and made
corn on it that summer.
I came out, joined him and commenced the
farm on North Fork.
Here we commenced on the 24th day of
August, 1797, and I
claim the honor of cutting down the
first tree ever cut by a white
man for improvement on North Paint
Creek. After we had
built a cabin here father and I went
back to Kentucky. He took
me in to bring out a supply of
provisions for the winter. On
our way we camped on Three Island Creek
some two or three
miles out from the river. A wolf came in
the night, took hold
of our wallet of provisions under my
head and jerked it out and
waked me. When I waked, the dog was
standing on me snap-
ping at the wolf at my head. My father
called out, took the
gun and shot after him but it was too
dark to see him.
On our way we fell in with old Daniel
Boone and a son and
a son-in-law returning from a hunting
tour up on the Kanawha.
We lodged with them at May's Lick and
traveled together to
their cabin on Hinkston. As father and
him had been through
some campaigns together I was highly interested
in hearing him
recount the scenes they had passed
through. As we passed the
battle ground near the Blue Licks he
pointed out the manner of
Reminiscences of a Pioneer. 203
the battle and place where his brother
and son were killed, and
how he had told the commander how the
Indians would have the
advantage of the ground; but they would
not hear him and they
paid dearly for their rashness. This was
one of the sorest de-
feats (that) ever befell the Kentucky
troops. When (we) came
to Boone's cabin father told him he
would have to move soon
as he had cut down all the trees near
his cabin.
Here I will relate some things that I
should (have) men-
tioned on a previous page. This year the
squirrels were very
plenty and seemed as if they would
destroy the corn crop en-
tirely and powder was not to be had. So
father and Uncle
Thomas concluded they could make
gunpowder if they could get
saltpeter. Well, they gathered the dry
dirt from under old
houses and tried their hands to make
saltpeter. They succeeded
to make about two or three pounds. Now,
how, and what was
the powder proportion of the different
materials? Uncle had
been in a powder mill once in Virginia.
So they made a trial
and after several days' experimenting,
got powder. This was
the manner in which father came to be a
powder maker. About
this time saltpeter began to be found in
dry caves in the moun-
tains and father set up the powder
making business. Saltpeter
soon became very plenty and father got
the name of making the
best powder in the market. So every
summer after the corn
was laid by and harvest over we would
make powder a month
or so and attend at the courts to sell
it. He generally took me
along to retail it when he had other
business to tend to. I was
sitting in the courtyard with my bag of
powder open. Along
came a man smoking his pipe and stooped
down to look at the
powder. I saw the ashes fall from his
pipe. I grabbed the pipe
and in my haste run the stem in his
mouth. He seemed to be
much offended till I showed him the
danger he was in. So (he)
was glad I had more thought than
himself. This was a pretty
profitable business at that time and
when he concluded to move
to Ohio he made a couple of kegs full,
seventy-five pounds each
and packed them on a horse. When we came
out to Chillicothe
I sold them for one dollar and
twenty-five cents a pound to
James and McCoy, merchants in
Chillicothe.
I now seat myself to resume my history.
In former pages
204 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
I stated we commenced improvements on
the North Fork of Paint
Creek, four miles west of Chillicothe
(the) 24th day of August,
1797. My father and brother John and
myself here built a cabin
and dug out a canoe so that we (could)
cross when the water
was high and for the purpose of fishing,
as fish were abundant at
this time in these waters. When this was
done father and my-
self went back to Kentucky and left John
to keep camp and
commence clearing for a crop next
season. On this trip we fell
in with Daniel Boone at May's Lick. We
lodged with him and
his son, Jesse, his youngest son and a
son-in-law, a lawyer from
Paris. They had been on a hunting tour
upon the Sandy8 but
had not succeeded well as it was a very
dry fall. So as Boone
and father were companions in an Indian
campaign together we
kept company with them and rode and
walked time about to
Boone's cabin. He lived on Hinkston
about eight miles short of
our home on the old "buffalo
trace" made by them from the
cane region to the Blue Licks, a place
of great resort at certain
seasons to get salt water to drink.
These animals would travel
in droves in great numbers in manner
like the wild geese. They
had a leader and would follow him in
single file no matter how
large the drove. So this trace was in
many places, especially in
crossing ravines they would cut down the
banks on each side to
the depth of our horses' backs. This
trace passed right by our
door on Stoner and on to the great cane
fields on the Kentucky
river at Boonesborough. When we passed
the Blue Licks Boone
told us some amusing stories, how he had
amused himself look-
ing at them from a concealed place. It
beat any bull fight he
ever saw. There would droves meet here
from different parts
and like our cattle when they meet with
strangers must try their
strength. This was great sport for the
lonely old pioneer. Well,
so much for a buffalo story.
After we had gathered the corn and done
up (the) fall work
father and I loaded our horses with
provisions and started for
Ohio, then called Northwestern
Territory. Nothing uncom-
mon occurred till we got about halfway
from Limestone to our
8Mr. Rogers mentions this occurrence on a previous page
by saying
the Kanawha. The Sandy is more probably
correct.
Reminiscences of a Pioneer. 205
home. We camped a few miles over Big
Brush Creek and
started before day hoping to make (the)
trip to our cabin that
day but a terrible snowstorm came on us
and made the traveling
so slavish we could not get on as fast
as we would and we were
calculating on having a dreadful time in
getting a fire for a camp
made for the night. But to our joy and
surprise we found a
cabin on Paint Creek built since we had
been on the road. Here
we turned in for the night and a
dreadful night it was! The
cabin had a roof but no door shutter and
no chinking nor daub-
ing. There was a woman and two or three
children. Her
husband was not at home. He was out on a
bear hunt. So we
cut and got in plenty of wood and kept
up a large fire all night,
the snow pouring in through the cracks
of the cabin. The
woman and children took one corner, laid
down what bedding
they had and covered (themselves) with
deer and bear skins.
Just at night two (other) travelers came
in also. So we all lay
on the floor the best we could. We
(were) glad to see day. I
believe it was the coldest night I ever
passed in the woods. The
next day we got to our home but when we
(were) about four or
five miles on the road father told me he
would go ahead on foot
and left me to bring the horses and he
would kill a deer. But
I could not ride fast enough to keep
from freezing. So I com-
menced hallooing for father to stop and
take the horses and let
me run on foot or I would freeze as I
had got my feet wet cross-
ing a run. We got home to our cabin in
safety and found John
well and a family living with him -an
old lady, a son and a
daughter. This made our cabin pretty
throng but the old lady
was willing to cook for us for her room
and it was a great help
to us for we could go on better with our
work in the clearing.
So father went out the next day and
killed a deer and some tur-
keys but this was rather poor fare as
both deer and turkeys were
poor on account of deep snow. But just here a man came along
with some bear meat. We got a quarter of
it for the loan of our
dog he had borrowed. This was the man
that owned the cabin
we lodged at on Paint Creek. Father
stayed with us about a
week and left us to make ground ready
for a crop in the spring.
So we went to work in earnest and
cleared and fired about ten
or twelve acres by time for planting
corn. And father hired the
206 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
young man to clear a piece for meadow.
This old lady was (a)
great guard over me. She was a devoted,
pious, motherly, Chris-
tian woman and seemed to take the place
of a mother, especially
as I was under the restraint of my
parents. She would always
have some comforting story to (tell) us
when we would be dis-
couraged to cheer us. And on the Sabbath
she would have us
reading our books and catechising us on
our questions as if she
was our mother. In the spring her
married son and family
came out from Kentucky and they went
upon Darby and leased
land and moved there in the fall.
Here I will relate an anecdote that took
place during the
winter. A Presbyterian minister was
coming through from Ken-
tucky and got to the crossing of Paint
Creek (on) a very stormy
day and called at a cabin where old
William Kent had just built
but had no chimney to it and only part
of the house floored. He
made his fire in one side on the ground
and his bed on the floored
part. The minister asked how far to
where he could get a place
to lodge. He was told the distance to
our cabin. Well, he was
afraid to attempt to make the trip as it
was so cold and snow-
ing fast. So what could he do but stay
with him and share with
him on the hard puncheon floor? Well,
what could he do with
his horse? He was told he could tie him
to a tree or turn him
out and let him browse with his ox; for
he had no feed for him.
The minister did not like the idea of
turning his horse loose.
Had he no shelter that he could have?
There was no other shel-
ter but his old camp and his sow and
pigs had taken possession
of that and would not like to be turned
out so stormy a night.
Well, he insisted and at length he
consented to let him tie his
horse under the roof of his camp and
turn out the sow and pigs.
When he came to view the premises the
sow had rooted up the
ground in the center and made it so
uneven it was very uncom-
fortable (for) a horse to stand in it.
He asked if it could not
be made level so the horse would feel
more comfortable. Yes,
he had a hoe he could have. He handed
him the hoe. Now
he might make (it) to suit his mind. He
replied he had never
labored any in his life. "Oh, then
you have the advantage of me.
I have labored all my life and yours is
all in you yet. So now is
your time to try your hand." This
strange conduct beat him.
Reminiscences of a Pioneer. 207
He began to think of leaving for he
thought he might not be safe
in his hands. So Kent saw he was alarmed
and took the hoe and
leveled the ground and told him he was
only joking with him.
He made him as comfortable as he could
in the circumstances.
He shared his rough fare with him and
gave him a part of his
blanket to cover him on his hard
puncheon floor. The next day
he came to our cabin. Here he got the
best our good old lady
could produce. He told us all about his
doleful night he spent
at Mr. Kent's. Here he got all the
sympathy and kindness that
the good old mother could bestow on a
minister of Jesus Christ.
He was in search of a place to settle as
a minister, he told us
and intended to locate in Chillicothe if
the way was open and
would preach there on Sabbath. So all of
us except the old lady
went to hear him. This was no less than
the Rev. Doctor Speer
who was the first minister ever settled
in Chillicothe. He was
now just licensed and married. Here he
moved in the spring
and organized the first Presbyterian
Church9 in Ross county.
This was in the winter of 1797 and 98,
he came to our house. A
short time after this Kent came to our
house. When the subject
came up about the young minister that
lodged with him some
time before, he told us all about it. He
said he had fine fun
with him and told us he noticed he had
never seen hard times
and he would give him a chance to try
his hand. He said he saw
he was afraid of him, but he made him as
comfortable as he
could when he saw his alarm. This same
Rev. Speer is father
or grandfather, I am not certain which,
to the Rev. Speer who
was missionary to China some years ago
and returned to this
country.
This was an uncommon hard winter. Snow
(was) on the
ground. We had to cut down fresh brush
every morning to
keep our cattle alive. We had several
milch cows but they gave
but little milk as they could not get
grass. When the ground was
bare there was rye grass equal to a rye
field. So our cattle and
horses got very weak by spring. Our
dependence for meat was
mostly wild game but we were not
skillful hunters and indeed it
9This statement does not agree with what
is usually accepted as the
first Presbyterian organization in Ross
County.
208 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
was very difficult to get near the deer
as there was a hard crust
on the snow. The deer could hear one
before they could get
within shooting distance. Our provision
was like to run short
and hard work and poor fare began to
discourage us. But our
good old mother would cheer us up
by some comforting promise
from the scriptures telling us the Lord
would not let his chil-
dren suffer, "Put your trust in
him." So here would come some
relief not expected. Sometimes a flock
of turkeys would come
around the house and we would kill one
or two. Sometimes a
deer would come and browse among the
cattle, so we would kill
one- poor, but still we could eat them
still making the old lady's
word good. At length along came a man
with a small lot of fat
hogs from Kentucky. Well, how could we
get one? John con-
cluded we must have some pork to cook
with our turkey and
deer. So (the) old man concluded he
could trust us. He was
Duncan McArthur's father and told John
to pay his son Duncan
when he got the next money. We knew
father would approve
of the contract when he came out; so we
lived well.
The next thing was corn to make us
bread. The nearest
place corn could be got was at the
station below Chillicothe. We
made out to raise two dollars and
twenty-five cents from trav-
elers. I and young Mr. Une (?) went down
to the station and
got three bushels apiece. We came up to
the horse-mill in Chil-
licothe. Here we got it ground by paying
fifty cents besides the
toll. This was pretty dear bread after
the sixth was taken for
toll. And it was ground so very coarse
little would go through
the sieve.
About this time the traders from about
Pittsburg began to
bring down their flour and bacon in big
canoes or barges and run
up the Scioto river to Chillicothe. This
was a great relief if we
only had the money. So (the) next bread
stuff we got was flour
from these traders. This brought us
through the winter. When
the snow melted off, our cattle could
get plenty of rye grass.
They began to thrive and we got plenty
of milk. Heretofore
there was no churn to be had so what
butter was made our good
old mother made it by stirring it with
her hand in a pail. But
now a family moved in and settled near
us on (the) other side
of the creek so we could borrow their
churn. Now we had but-
Reminiscences of a Pioneer. 209
ter plenty. This was a great substitute
in cooking our venison
and turkey meat. And indeed I sold many
a pound to travelers
after the family moved away. I was often
asked where the
landlady was. When they found out I made
the butter they
would be very doubtful about it being
very clean.
At this time there was a road10 laid
out through from Lime-
stone to Wheeling by Chillicothe and
Zanesville. It was sur-
veyed, marked and some brush cut out so
that a person on horse-
back could travel it. And being so much
higher than the old
route from Kentucky to the east there
was a great rush of travel
on it. Our cabin was often covered all
over the floor of a night
with lodgers and we seldom had anything
to sell to them. So
we concluded we would get a keg of
liquor and retail (it) and
a bag of corn. At this time there was
corn in Chillicothe to be
had at a dollar a bushel. So I went and
got a sack of corn and
a keg of liquor. We would sell corn at
twenty-five cents a gal-
lon and liquor at twelve and a half
(cents) a half pint. And
sometimes we could spare a pound of
butter. In this way we
made a little change to get our coffee
and other necessaries. If
we had any milk this was in good demand;
venison jerk was good
sale. When we killed a deer in hot
weather the only way we
could save it, we cut off all fleshy
parts and salt it and the next
day we make a fire out by, let (it) burn
down, then make a
scaffold over the fire and lay the meat
over the fire, about half
cook it and dry it. In this way it could
be saved. This is the
Indian method of saving meat in warm
weather. This was much
pursued by travelers.
This road was laid out by order of the
government by a man
of the name of Zane from Wheeling and
called Zane's Trace.
He got a portion of land at the crossing
of every large stream
that needed a ferry, for his services.
How much I can't say,
but I think it was a section as far as
the Scioto,11 as all east of
that was Congress lands. I think it the
same that was proprie-
tor of Zanesville on the Muskingum
river. At this time the In-
10Zane's Trace.
11Zane secured three tracts of land, one
at Zanesville one at Lan-
caster and one at Chillicothe.
Vol. XIX.- 14.
210 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
dians were allowed to hunt within our
bounds by the treaty of
1794 until we got numerous enough to be
an independent state.
So they made good use of this grant and
they were our chief sup-
ply for venison and bear meat. They
would call by our cabin
on their way to market in Chillicothe
frequently and ask for
bread and milk and sometimes they would
ask for whisky. But
we never would let them know we had
whisky for fear they
would get drunk and endanger our lives
as a drunken Indian is
about as dangerous as a mad dog.
When the winter broke we had a very
early and favorable
spring and we got along with our
clearing and by the 10th of
May we planted our corn in good time and
order. Now we
had some leisure for hunting and
fishing. About this time I
killed the first deer in my life and I
believe the first I ever shot
at. You may be sure I was a very proud
boy. I had killed tur-
keys but never got a shot at a deer. Now
I was a hunter. We
could get fish in abundance by either
the gig or hook. Now our
corn demanded our attention, so we gave
it close attention and
made a good crop. Father and two more of
my brothers came
out in July and we went to work and
built a larger house for the
family. Then all went back to Kentucky
but myself and James
a younger brother, to move the family.
While we were here
alone I went out with a man to take a
hunt but we were not suc-
cessful and I exposed myself and took
the flux and had no one
to nurse me but my young brother. I
never felt the want of my
mother as I did now. I had no knowledge
how to treat the com-
plaint but I got advice from travelers
as there were some lodging
with us almost every night. So by the
time the family came
home I was pretty well again but we got
very little work done.
We had orders to blade the corn and save
the fodder before it
was frosted but the frost had come and
very little of it saved.
When I heard from travelers they had
crossed the river at
Limestone we were expecting them on in
three days from that
time. So the third day I started to meet
them on foot expect-
ing to meet them by noon at least, but I
heard nothing of them till
I got to the falls of Paint. There was
no travel on the road that
day so I turned in for the night weary,
hungry and discour-
aged, as I was weak yet from my spell of
sickness. There was
Reminiscences of a Pioneer. 211
about sixteen miles I had traveled
without a bit to eat, not ex-
pecting to go more than eight or nine
miles. So here I lay down
in a corner like a sick kitten. I had
not been here long till some
one called at the door to ask for
lodging. I sprang to my feet
hoping to hear from our folks. When (I)
came out who should
it be but old Andrew Caughross (?) an
old neighbor in Ken-
tucky. He said, "Well, Tom, is that
you? Why, my boy, your
father and family are just out back here
on the road. They
stopped to camp for the night." Now
I felt as light as a fox. I
started without asking any more
questions and run for life but I
soon met John coming to get corn for the
horses, I turned to
help get the corn. When we got our sacks
full of corn we set
out for camp and found them all enjoying
themselves in their
movable house (and) very much surprised
to see me as they
heard I was lying sick at our cabin. I
believe I never was (so)
glad to see my mother nor was she ever
gladder to see her son.
She had intended to leave the
"flitting" and come on by herself to
my relief but I had sent a message by a
traveler if he met them
to tell mother I was mending; not (to)
be uneasy about me. But
mother was still fearful I might be
worse than I let on to be.
The next morning we were off for home in
high spirits,
mother and sister on horseback with the
little ones that could not
travel on foot, and myself and brother
Ham and a man father had
hired to help drive the cattle all went
on ahead of the wagons
with the cattle. When we got within
about three miles of home
mother and sister left us as they could
travel faster than we
could with the cattle and we got home at
a late hour that night.
But the wagons did not arrive till next
day. Here we settled
down on the west bank of the North Fork
of Paint Creek.
"Now," says father, "I
have made my last move in this
world, I trust," and so it was.
When I started to meet them I took the
gun hoping to kill
a deer or turkey on the way, never
dreaming of such a tramp.
I killed a turkey and hung it up by the
road but when I came
back it was spoiled - all fly-blown.
Well, now we were all at
home once more for which I trust we felt
thankful. Oh, what
a comfort it was to my dear mother to
think she was done trav-
eling and especially as we had got away
from slavery and out
212
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
of hearing of the screams of the slaves.
(Father said) "Well,
now, boys, look around. Here is all this
forest has to be cleared
off. Now you see what has to be done to
make a living. So go
to work. I am getting old and I must
depend on you to open me
a farm as my day for hard labor is
past."
So in a few days father took us out and
staked out about
twenty acres of our fine bottom land and
told us this must be
cleared for corn next spring. This was
our work for the win-
ter. When the weather was dry, we cut,
grubbed and burned
brush. When it was wet or snow on the
ground we cut down
and cut up the brush and logs and tall
timber. So by spring we
had about thirty acres for corn with
what we cleared before
father moved out.
About this time brother John came of age
and began to think
of doing for himself. So father bought
land for him on Dry
Run six miles above Chillicothe. In the
fall of 1799 he built him
a house on his land and married the last
day of the year 1799.
Now it was my lot to take charge of the
farm and carry on the
work. So we labored on and improved the
farm till we had
about as much cleared land as we could
attend to and an over-
plus of corn. We, like the rich man in
the parable began to
cast about in our minds and say,
"What will we do with all of
our produce?" It was soon decided
not to pull down our barn
but we will build a still house and
dispose of our surplus grain
in making whiskey, for at this time no
one thought there was any
harm in the business. So at it we went.
I was at that time an
expert with the broad ax and my two
brothers good choppers,
so in a short time we had a house built
for the purpose and a
couple of stills in it. Now there was
work for us all both night
and day.
Here I must return to the year 1800. In
this year my
mother's father and mother died in
Virginia and mother was re-
quested to come in and receive her share
of the household goods
with her two sisters the only heirs.
This was something of an
undertaking for a woman on horseback as
this was the common
mode of travel at this day and that
through a wild unsettled wil-
derness all the way to Wheeling at
least. Well, about the 15th
of September of this year mother, myself
and William Means
Reminiscences of a Pioneer. 213
set out on horseback on our journey of
over four hundred miles.
At Chillicothe at this time there were
some settlements (and) at
the crossings of Muskingum and at
Lancaster. We had to camp
out two or three nights but were
fortunate in getting in company
with some Kentucky merchants. This
relieved our fear from
robbers. There had been several cases of
robbery on this road
but we got through to the settlement at
Wheeling and no acci-
dent worth relating.
Here the company of merchants left us
and we turned off
the direct road and stopped a day or two
at a friend's on the
Monongahela river at the mouth of Little
Whitey to rest mother
and to recruit the horses. From this we
(went by) the moun-
tains by way of the Sandy Creek glades
and fell into the old road
at Josph Tevers at the big crossings.
Here we were on the old
Braddock road that he traveled with his
army to that fatal ground
near Pittsburg where Braddock was
defeated by the Indians in
the year 1755. We followed this road
over the mountains to
near the town of Cumberland. Here we
took the Winchester
road to Middleburg where mother's sister
lived. Our last days
of travel were very stormy with sleet
and snow. My mother
was very much outdone when (we) landed
at her sister's in Mid-
dleburg. This was a happy meeting after
a separation of fifteen
years. Here we were met by all the
friends then living but the
dear parents were gone to rest. Her two
sisters and their hus-
bands were living but the eldest
sister's husband was on his death
bed, not able to be about much nor even
to talk more than a few
words at a time. This was a great grief
to mother as McFar-
land was a very great favorite of her's.
Now much of the time was spent in
relating scenes that had
transpired since they had been
separated. This was the topic
of conversation and mother was able to
give some very interest-
ing stories she had passed through since
she left them.
While we were among the friends my birthday
came on the
19th day of October. I was determined to
see the place where
I first drew vital air so I got
directions how to find it. I set off
by myself through the fields but nothing
could I find to mark the
spot but the remains of the old bank of
dirt and the remains of
the old chimney bottom. This was my
eighteenth birthday. We
214
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
spent about a month in visiting old
acquaintances and friends
and mother and her sisters made a divide
of their mother's house-
hold effects. We made ready for our
journey home. My
mother took her mother's old riding mare
in part for her dower
and a new saddle for me. So I put my old
saddle on the old
mare and packed her all the way home.
This was a troublesome
job to lead a packhorse four hundred and
fifty miles. I was now
just eighteen years old and mother near
fifty. What boy at this
day would think of undertaking such a
trial or where is the
woman at this day that could think of
undertaking the like?
Verily are we not a degenerate race when
compared with what
our ancestors were?
Well we took leave of our friends about
the first of No-
vember and nothing particular occurred
till we landed at old Mr.
Robinson's on the Monongahela where we
stopped to rest on our
way in. Here we lay by over the Sabbath
till his son John got
ready and came with us to his brother's,
a near neighbor of ours.
After resting a few days here we started
for Ohio. We now
had the company and help of young Mr.
Robinson. We had the
Monongahela to ferry. At this time there
was nothing but a
small flat boat to cross in so my pack
horse was frightened when
the oars began to work and jumped out of
the boat and threw
my mother's horse out also. Here we lost
our wallet of pro-
visions and wet her saddle and blankets
and pillows she had to
ride on. We got a grab hook and fished a
long time trying to
recover our lost wallet but had to go
without it. Mother had a
very uncomfortable ride till night when
we got all dried again.
When he got to the Ohio river at
Wheeling we took care to take
our load off the horses before we put
them on the boat and
crossed safe. Now we were in Ohio again.
There was sev-
eral new houses built since we went
through before so we got
a cabin to lodge in every night on our
way home. We arrived
at home the fifteenth day after a
fatiguing journey, found all
well and glad to see us safe on the
North Fork of Paint Creek.
We rode a pair of dapple gray horses
that was noticed and
admired by everybody on the road and had
a great many offers
for them. I was very fearful some time
we would lose them as
they were admired by many. Indeed I was
alarmed one night
Reminiscences of a Pioneer. 215
in Virginia. We had our horses kept out
on the farm about a
mile from town. One morning they were
missing. We spent
some very uneasy hours till about noon a
man came in with the
horses. Some negroes had taken them to
ride the night before
to see their wives and overstayed
themselves and were afraid to
(be) seen on them at daylight and turned
them out and a man
who knew them got them and brought them
home.
Now I am at home again ready to resume
the old routine
of business. Well, the corn is not
gathered yet as we had the
horses away and I was the main hand.
This was our constant
employment for about a month or more. We
would gather corn
all day and go to huskings every night.
I remember of one fall
I gathered corn every day for twenty-one
days and attended a
husking every night. We had thirty-four
wagon loads of corn
ourselves and I hauled one hundred for
the neighbors. I have
often wondered how we stood it.
Now I must give some further account of
our success in
whisky making. This may sound strange at
this day of reform
on this subject but every honest
historian will openly confess and
relate his errors as well as his
virtues, so I shall endeavor to
state the truth and let the public judge
of my conduct. At this
day the justice or propriety of
manufacturing your surplus pro-
duce into liquor was never called in
question. Indeed if any one
had a right to object that was myself
for the heaviest burden
fell on me. In order to carry it on
successfully we must always
keep a store of ground corn meal and rye
on hands lest a freeze
or a flood should stop our work,
likewise a supply of cord wood.
This was no small job so I was kept busy
almost night and day
for two successive winters; scarcely
ever got a night to attend
any of the amusements going on in the
neighborhood nor a day
to go to school. But the third winter I
told father I must be
spared from being so confined and I must
get some schooling if
ever I got any, as I was now
twenty-three years old. So I went
to Kentucky on a visit and went to
school that winter about two
months. This is the principal part of my
schooling.
Just before I started to Kentucky there
was a notice in the
Chillicothe paper there would be a large
tract of land on Paint
Creek offered for sale. Father told me
he would attend the sale
216 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
and bid if he thought best as I had not
yet got a place to settle
on. So father bid off a five hundred
lot. All the purchasers
agreed on a day to go to see the land
and have it surveyed and
divided. This land was attached and sold
to satisfy a claim in
behalf of some orphan children against
Captain William George,
a Revolutionary soldier. He was guardian
for the children.
The claim was put into the hands of
Philemon Thomas an old
Kentucky land jobber-one that father was
acquainted with.
They had served in an Indian campaign
together. Well, we all
set off to see the land. (They) took me
and brother Ham. to
carry chain and mark. This land lay on
main Paint above the
mouth of Rattlesnake. Here we encamped
the first night.
Father left us as soon as he could see
to shoot, went up the bot-
tom a little ways and shot a deer and
came in and got a horse
and took Dolittle, one of the
purchasers, to help him bring in the
deer. So he helped him on his shoulder
with the deer, told him
to go round the other side and catch
hold when he threw it on
the horse as the beast was a little shy.
He gave it the toss on
the horse and behold the young merchant
got his fine clothes
well sprinkled with blood. This was a
sore defeat to the gen-
tleman. He had a great time scraping and
washing his coat but
the old pioneers enjoyed it finely. We
meandered the creek that
day to the upper corner. There we camped
the next night.
Here I roasted a whole quarter before a
large fire, basting it with
pieces of bacon. Our old pioneers
thought they never had a
better barbecue in their lives.
We had now surveyed the south line and
meandered the
creek. Then we ran the north line, found
the beginning corner
and commenced laying off the lots. Now
the contest began about
the surplus land as the survey had made
considerable overplus.
Mr. Dolittle contested for a share of
the overplus land but father
wanted none but his five hundred as it
was sold in this way and
the last lot was bid off "five
hundred more or less." So if they
divided the surplus in every lot it
would shift his lot farther south
but he wanted his lot just where it fell
at five hundred each and
they might have the rest and divide it
as they chose. So we
commenced and laid out three lots and
left the fourth as it was
and this (was) a happy conclusion, for
there was a clashing line
Reminscences of a
Pioneer. 2l7
between George's and Mason's survey.
When we got through
Thomas proposed to sell father his first
lot as he had bid off the
second lot also and the fourth and last
lot. He would not offer
the fourth as he saw there were some
interfering lines. So
father made a bargain for the second lot
to be paid the next win-
ter. Now he had two lots of five hundred
acres. Shortly after
this two of his brothers from Kentucky
came. So he sold the
half of his second lot to Uncle
Hamilton. Now he had two
hundred and fifty for us boys. I went to
Kentucky with them
and spent the winter at school as I
stated heretofore; this in the
year 1804 and 05. I was now in my
twenty-third year and (the)
first time I had ever claimed my
freedom. This year I worked
on the farm till the crop was made and
harvest was over. Then
I went to see our land and concluded I
would put up a cabin on
it and get some (one) on the farm to
improve it and then take a
ramble as I had never seen anything but
the woods and hard
work.
Well, brother Ham and me turned in and
built a house on
our lots by Christmas and came home for
the winter. We saw
a great company camped on the bank on
the other side and we
noticed a number of young women. So I
proposed to the young
men (to go over) for there was several
had come to see us as
we had been absent all fall. Well, we
went over to camp (and)
we were much pleased with their
appearance. They were all so
clean and neat. On inquiry we found they
were intending to go
to Highland county. On being told I was
just from that county,
they asked if I knew of any houses for
rent? I told them I had
just built two cabins there and should
not (need) them before
spring. An old man on hearing this
jumped up and replied,
"I'm in for one of them." What
would I charge for it? I told
him he might have it till spring free
and then I would give him a
lease on the land if I needed the house
and he could build one
for himself. Well, how could he find it?
I told him I would
meet him at a certain place the next day
and pilot him. Part of
the company had agreed to go to old
William Parker's (?) up
in the Quaker settlement. Well, I met my
old man the next day
at William Smith's on Buckskin and
conducted them to Jared
Ervin's the nearest neighbor to my
cabin. There we slept over
218
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
night. The next morning we cut a road
for the wagon as there
never was a wagon road to this place
before. So we landed them
in my cabin in the woods, a wild looking
place. This was Sat-
urday. I told him I would stay the next
week and help him
fix up the house as there was but half
of it floored and the chim-
ney only part built. As the old man was
a regular carpenter we
got along finely. On Monday we were
going over to Mr. Ervin's
to grind our tools (and) who should we
meet but old man
and his son George on hunt of our place
as they
had not found a house yet and heard me
say we had two cabins,
hoping to get one of them, and indeed
there was no Sabbath up
there and they could not think of settling
where no regard was
paid to the Sabbath. We told them to go
on to the cabin and
we would be home when we ground our
tools. So when all got
done I gave the tools to him to carry
home and I got my gun,
took across the creek to find a turkey
roost. When I got to the
creek it was dark and no moon but
turkeys plenty. I concluded
I would get right under them try (and)
if I could see a black
spot, shoot at the place. So I shot a
number of times. At last
down came one. I picked it up and
plodded on home. They
were all alarmed when they heard so much
shooting (and) could
not imagine what it meant but supposed I
was attacked by a gang
of wolves. The next morning I told the
old man if he would
go with me and do just as I direct, I
would load him home with
turkeys. Well, off we went a little
before day. I saw the course
they intended flying. I sent the old man
in a circle ahead of
them for he must keep in motion never
stopping. The turkeys
would not fly while he kept in motion so
I could creep up behind
a tree and shoot one. In this way we got
them turned and con-
fused by turning the foremost ones back
till I killed four very
fine ones. This made a load for us both.
The old man was so
pleased he could not quit talking about
it. Now he had learned
how to kill turkeys.
So the other families concluded to come
and occupy my
brother's cabin until they (could) suit
themselves better. The
old man Adear (?) and his son Philip got
in my brother's house
but the old father soon bought land just
across the creek and
moved to it and took a lease on my
brother's land. And my man
Reminiscences of a Pioneer. 219
took a lease also and we had a very
excellent set of neighbors
and lived in peace all our days. . .
The next spring I
married. Now I began to think very
seriously about what I
should do next year. I had thought of
spending some time in
traveling to see some of the world. And
I must determine soon
as my man in my house must know whether
I would need the
house in the spring or not. So I
concluded I would go over and
consult my intended and feel her pulse
how it beat. Well, I
found it all right with her. So I made a
covenant with her that
night that I never rued. I gave my man
notice to go to work
and build his house as I had determined
(to) come and be their
neighbor in March. So the next week I
drove up some hogs,
three sows and pigs to live on the
acorns as they were abundant.
Now I began to make arrangements for
farming; horses and
plows and household furniture must be
had. But at this day
we could do with very little and that
the plainest kind.
Well, next question was "Who shall
marry me?" Hereto-
fore the magistrate done the marrying.
Dr. Wilson had just
come among us, but had not been licensed
yet, and there would
(be) no regular court soon enough for my
case. What could
be done? I was not willing to be married
by a squire, and to
call a court on purpose would cost at
least ten dollars. So I
proposed to see the judges, as they all
lived near. They all
agreed to meet at the court house (the)
next Saturday and
father (was) to meet them and all would
be right. So they
met and ordered the sheriff to call the
court. They licensed
Rev. Wilson with powers to marry.
"What is the bill?" father
inquired. "We will go to the hotel
and we will tell you. A bot-
tle or two of good Maderia will taste
pretty well, don't you
think?" This settled the bill. So
the judges and their wives
were invited to the wedding on the 6th
of March. The 6th of
March was the time agreed on for the
wedding, and Rev. Rob-
ert Wilson (was) to solemnize the union
and a great crowd it
was as we both had a numerous
connection. These with the
judges' families, made a great company.
On the next week my cousin, Betsey
Swart, and David El-
liott were married, so we had two weeks
of merry times.
Now, the next thing on hands was to
gather up our effects
220
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
and move to our cabin in the woods, and
make ready for a crop,
and this in a heavy forest of timber,
and now the 18th of
March! "Well," thinks I,
"it is root, pig, or starve. I have
but two months till the corn must be
planted." So I fell to work,
as I had no other shift, and worked
almost night and day, and
on the 22nd of May I planted five acres
of corn and made a
pretty fair crop. Also (I planted) some
potatoes and fruit trees.
This was my first start in life for
myself, but I was blessed with
a good constitution and a will to work,
so it did not go hard with
me, for I was raised to hardships.
Now I had made a beginning, I must have
a piece ready for
wheat. So I put in all the time I had
from tending my corn to
clear a field for wheat. I got about six
acres in wheat. And
this was my plan: every spring and fall
to add a field to the
farm. So in a few years I began to have
something to sell. My
stock of horses mutiplied pretty fast,
as I had three sorrel mares
and one year-old colt to start with. So
I had seven head to win-
ter the first year. The second fall I
hired a hand one month
and cleared out a piece of bottom for
meadow. From this time
forth I could spare some produce to help
me improve the farm.
This is the way we managed to make a
living in my young days.
I will now turn back to relate some
things that took place
in earlier days, which I have omitted,
in regard to my fondness
for hunting and a life in the woods. I
was very fond of camp
life, and whenever an opportunity
offered I was always on hand.
So there was an alarm came to the
governor of a man found
dead up on the North Fork of Paint
Creek, supposed to be the
work of the Indians, as he was
tomahawked and scalped. The
governor sent out word to Major Mahary
to take some troops
and go up and see the truth of the
matter. Now this was a
good opportunity for me to gratify my
long cherished desire, so
I was on hand. And when we got to the
place we found Cap-
tain Herrod killed sure enough in the
way and manner as re-
ported. Next thing, what course shall we
pursue to find the
murderers? Well, a plan was given out
for all who were ready
and willing to take a trip to the Indian
towns to signify by hitch-
ing their horses with Major Mahary's and
General McArthur's.
I was the only one that moved the horse
to theirs. Some wanted
Reminiscences of a Pioneer. 221
an election held for leader. So when
nothing could be decided,
all set off helter skelter, about one
hundred and fifty in numbers,
some young clerks of stores and many of
them (with) neither
blankets nor provisions. All drove on
promiscuously till we came
on an old he-bear in the barrens about
where Bloomingburg is.
Here we had a grand bear chase. Our dogs
would stop him
in a thicket and then he would break out
again and run several
miles. He got a great many shots, but
none brought him down
till he was pretty well run down. There
was a man had a brace
of horse pistols. He gave one to another
man, and rode up
close and fired and wounded him. The
next rode up and shot
him a deadly shot and the bear dropped
on the spot and the
horse was at such speed he jumped over
the bear, but he made
a grab and caught his foot and jerked
him off the horse, but he
rolled off out of reach of him in short
order. I was close to him
and jumped off to his assistance, but
the bear was dead before
I got to him. A man came riding up and
hallooed to me. "Why
don't you shoot him " I replied,
"I don't kill dead bears." He
jerked the gun out of my hand and shot
the bear in the head.
I told him he had killed a dead bear,
and I did not covet the
honor. So "who killed the
bear?" was the word through the
company.
At the close of the frolic a number
turned back, but no
election had yet (been held). We went on
to the cabin of good
Joshua Clark, on the waters of Paint
Creek, who had settled
out there for the purpose of hunting and
trapping. Here a
number turned back. I carried the bear
to his house and skinned
it, as it was awarded to me as I had
chased it the whole round.
My dog was the only one that would seize
it.
From this we went on to what was called
the Willow
Springs. Here we camped for the night.
Now our young coun-
ter hoppers was in a bad fix, no
blankets and very little to eat,
and a dreadful night of rain. In the
morning they were all
dripping wet. This was the end of their
bravery. Now the
question is, "Who is for the
forward march?" About ten re-
sponded. The rest took the back track.
We learned by some
travelers we met there was some Indians
camped on Mad river.
So we concluded to hunt them up and see
if they knew. This
222 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
day we fell in with several Indians, but
none could talk much
English, but they would tell us Chief
Roundhead was out on
Mad river. So we went on to Mad river
where Springfield now
stands. Here we found two white men just
settled in their
cabins. One, a Mr. Foos, who was the
proprietor of the town.
At length here we learned that the Chief
Roundhead was some
where in that part hunting. So the next
day a call was made
for volunteers to go on the hunt of the
chief. I turned out for
one, with man of the place and two
others of the company.
In the evening we brought in the chief,
and the next day he con-
ducted us to another camp where James
Logan was camped on
the head waters of Rattlesnake. Logan
could speak English.
He was part white man. Here we held a
council. They all
declared their innocence and promised to
investigate the mat-
ter, and if they found out the murderer,
to bring him to justice.
This we supposed would settle the
matter, but while we were out
an unhappy circumstance took place at
home near where Cap-
tain Herrod was killed. A certain man by
the name of Wolf, and
three of the neighbors turned out to
gather up their cattle to get
their milk. They fell in with an
honorable, innocent old Indian,
who was camped for the purpose of
hunting over on Rattlesnake.
Not hearing anything of the murder of
Herrod. (He) came
over in a kindly manner to the
settlement to get salt to save his
meat, as the weather was warm. So he
came up to those men in
a friendly manner and asked what it
meant, (that) all the peo-
ple ran away. They told him how the
Indians had come into
the settlement and killed a man, and the
people were all afraid
to stay on their farms. The Indian
replied, "Not Indian. Bad
white man done it, not Indian."
They parted by a friendly
shake of the hand, but when the old
chief got twenty or thirty
yards off, Wolf shot him a death shot.
But he turned, deter-
mined to sell his life as dear as
possible, and tried to shoot
Wolf, but he got behind his horse. So he
raised his gun and
shot Williams off his horse dead and
then made at Wolf with
his knife. In the scuffle Wolf fell to
the ground and kicked him
off his feet. The old brave found he was
dying and made a
lunge with his knife and left it in his
thigh. Then staggered
off a few yards and fell dead.
Reminiscences of a Pioneer. 223
This broke up our treaty we had made
with the two chiefs.
Now the settlement was worse alarmed
than ever. The governor
ordered out a fresh guard over the
settlement till they could fin-
ish planting corn. I turned out again
and helped them about a
week longer, as we had finished planting
some time. This was
in May, 1802 or 3. This old chief's name was Waywilewa, and
was camped on Rattlesnake at the mouth
of Pardon's Creek.
(He) had two sons with him. When they
heard of their
father's fate they went to their towns
and brought in some of
their principal chiefs and demanded the
man that murdered their
father. But our governor and the council
endeavored to buy
them off but could not. So they returned
home and brought old
Tecumseh. He threatened to destroy the
whole settlement if
they did not satisfy the sons of their
chief. So by a large present
it was settled.
On this page I will give some incidents
in regard to my
hunting scenes and adventures. I believe
I have stated in pre-
vious pages an account of the first deer
I ever killed. This
raised my opinion of myself as a hunter.
I was very desirous
for a chance at a bear. Well, as we had
a couple of dogs said to
be excellent bear dogs, I had frequent
opportunity to go out with
bear hunters to take the dogs, as good
bear dogs were a very
essential article in getting up with a
bear. So I had several trips
with hunters, but no success. At length
a man by the name of
George Vincent Heller came along and
reported that he had
found a place where there were some
bears in a thicket, and
wanted our dogs and some one to go with
him. I was on hands
at a word. I went oved to Uncle Ben's
and got him and his two
dogs. We were off by times in the
morning to Heller's. That day
when we got near the thicket we left
uncle to take the horses
around and Heller and me took through
the thicket, and soon
found fresh tracks. Our dogs raised the
yelp and treed a fine
bear. Heller got up first and shot him
dead. The day was
Christmas, 1802. This day we hunted hard till two or three
o'clock. At last the dogs raised the
yelp in a dense thicket.
Now I was determined I would have the
shot if possible, so kept
close behind Heller and let him cut the
briars and vines in the
thicket. Now he was pretty well out of
breath and I was fresh,
224 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
and we had a steep hill to climb. I got
to the tree first and shot
the bear. Oh, but the old hunter was
spited! When uncle came
up he says: "Don't you (think) the
little rascal got the shot?
I have been a hunter all my life and
never was served so before."
It seemed as if he could not get over
it. "Why, the little fellow
outrun me up the hill in spite of all I
could do." This was the
first successful bear hunt. We now had a
load for two horses.
So next morning we set out for home. I
had the big one to carry
on my horse and uncle the small one.
When we got to Heller's
he got the small one and uncle the big
one, and we divided it at
father's. This ended this bear hunt.
Sometime that same winter we heard by a
traveler there
were some bears up on main Paint Creek
where the Miami Trace
crossed Paint Creek. We told our
neighbor, Major Mahary,
about it. We gave Uncle Ben notice as he
had two good dogs.
We made up our company and put off to
the place and camped
just where the Rock Mill now stands, six
miles above Greenfield.
That evening all turned out, but found
no sign of bears. That
night there fell a great snow a foot
deep. So this was a failure;
the common fate of hunters. We all came
home much disap-
pointed.
My most successful career of hunting was
night hunting
on the water. I have killed as many as
three, and once four,
deer of a night on Paint, since I lived
on the farm. The deer
was very plenty when I first came to
this place. I have shot
many a deer not more than ten feet from
the bow of the canoe.
When I settled on Paint Creek there was
game in abun-
dance, and especially deer and turkeys
and some bears. One
morning I went over to a neighbor's to
get him to help me
gather corn. I took my gun and gig
along. As I was coming
back my dog set off very fierce on the
scent of something. In
a short time I heard him bark very
fierce. I rode up as fast as
possible. I saw a fine bear on a tree,
but as soon as he saw
me he came down for battle, but my dog
handled him so well
he soon treed again and remained on the
tree till I hitched my
horse and took a fair shot at the white
spot in his breast. I
had heard old hunters say if they only
wounded a bear it was
very hard to tree them again and they
would run and fight while
Reminiscences of a Pioneer. 225
they could stand. So I was very lucky to
kill him the first shot.
I went home and got the horses and sled
and hauled him home.
He was about a two-year-old (and)
weighed about two hun-
dred (pounds). This was the second bear
I killed.
The next one I shot I was not so
fortunate for I gut shot
him and my dog could not tree him. He
would bite him behind
and stop him (but) when I would come up
he would break and
run but would not tree. I followed on
till I gave out. The dog
stuck to him till (they) came to some
men in the woods. They
fell at him with their axes and the dog
left and the bear got away.
He was found by some hunters the next
day but so spoiled being
so shot that it was a lost case.
The next I found two young ones on a
tree eating acorns.
When I saw them I supposed their dam was
somewhere near. I
looked round for some time for her but I
could see no sign of
her so I shot one. It cried out and held
on to the limb. I was
sure now the old mother would be on me,
so I loaded in haste
you may be sure and made ready for the
worst but (there was)
no sign of her yet. So I shot the other
a deadly shot. Now how
could I get them home was the next
question. As I was out after
my horses I concluded I would go and get
hold of my old mare
and see what I could do with her for I
knew if she saw them I
could not get her near them. So I got
leather wood bark, made
a halter to catch the mare and likewise
tied the cubs together and
drew them up on a log that lay high
enough to lead the beast un-
der it so I could pull them off the log
on the mare's back one
on each side. The next question was
"Can I get hold of the
beast?" for I doubted if she
smelled my hands she would be off.
But I got hold of her and put on my bark
halter. When I came
near the place I took off my hunting
shirt and blindfolded her
with it and led her under the log and
jerked them across her.
She tore around awhile but I got her
pacified and got my cubs
home safe, and fine tender meat they
were. They were about
six months old and made about one
hundred (pounds).
I was the most successful night hunter
in killing deer of any
that tried on Paint. I have killed as
many as three and once,
four, of a night and I very seldom
missed a shot. As very few
at this day understand how we managed to
kill deer at night I
Vol. XIX.- 15.
226 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
will give some account of the way we
done it. We put a stand
for a candle in the bow of the canoe
high enough to take sight
under it with a shade between me and the
candle, also to shade
the fore part of the canoe, so we could
put the gun far enough
forward for the light to shine upon the
far sight of the gun. I
have killed deer, I think, as far as
forty yards but I never shoot
when they are that far without I notice
they are about to scare
or smell us. Then I conclude it is the
last chance for that one.
There was one old buck fooled me a long
time. He got to
know the light of the candle from a
candle fly. I could tell his
walk when ever I heard him in the water
but he would always
walk out on the bank before I could get
near him to shoot. One
night I got my brother James to come and
work the canoe. We
went one trip. I killed a very good buck
but I told him this was
not the big buck. It (was) too soon in
the night for him. So
we waited longer and made another round.
We had not gone
far till I heard him walking in the
shallow water. I had in-
structed James to run the canoe as
straight and fast as possible
till I gave the sign to steady it so I
could take good aim. He
was in the water up to his belly. At
length he raised his head
and took a good look at us. I gave the
sign. He steadied the
canoe. I fired at I think at about forty
or fifty yards. He made
a bound. I knew he was shot but I told
him I was afraid he was
gut shot and if so I could tell when I
saw the blood. So we
went to where he got out and found dung
among the blood and
concluded it was not worth while to
follow him to-night as he
would run as well as if he was well for
a while. So we took our
dead one home and in the morning took
the dog and set him on
the track but it was so cold he could
not follow where the blood
stopped. We routed around for some time
and at length he
snuffed and held up his head. I let him
go. He soon routed him
in a thicket but he was very sick and
soon turned to fight the dog.
He would pitch the dog up on his horns.
At last the dog got
him by the nose and held him till I cut
his throat with my butcher
knife. He was the largest deer I ever
killed. He had seven
prongs to the horns. It was supposed he
would weigh over two
hundred (pounds).
Reminiscences of a Pioneer. 227
I will now give some account of our
first attempt to get the
gospel introduced in our neighborhood.
At this date 1808 or 9
young James Hoge was in the neighborhood
attending to the sale
of a large tract of land on Rattlesnake
at the mouth of Fall
Creek. So we invited him to appoint a
day to preach for us.
He told us if we would erect a stand at
the big spring on his
land he would preach there occasionally
and perhaps it would be
the means of organizing a church. So we
gave notice to the
neighbors and met and built a stand in
the woods, no one nearer
than two miles except Hoge. He and his
colored man had built
a cabin on Rattlesnake at the mouth of
Fall Creek. Here was
the first gospel sermon ever preached in
Madison township and
I believe this was the first church
organized in Highland county.
John Wilson gave it the name of Rocky
Spring in memory of
the church he left in Pennsylvania. Now
the country settled rap-
idly. Hoge sold his lands generally to
Presbyterians and in a
few years we were strong enough to build
a house. So a new
place was chosen to build and we met
(and) settled on the place
where the present house now stands. The
first was a log house
forty by twenty-eight feet. The first
minister was Rev. Nicholas
Pittenger from Pennsylvania. He soon
gathered a large con-
gregation. Our first house was destroyed
by fire. The next we
built (of) brick; it is still standing
but the congregation was so
weak that we concluded to unite with the
second church of
Greenfield. The Rev. Brice is our pastor
at present.
NOTE: - In editing and preparing for the
press the foregoing sketch
the language and sentence structure of
the original is retained as much as
is necessary to give it the pioneer
tone. To re-write it in conformity
with correct grammatical rules would
destroy much of its uniqueness.
OHIO UNIVERSITY, ATHENS, O., Nov. 8,
1909.
REMINISCENCES OF A
PIONEER.
EDITED BY CLEMENT L. MARTZOLFF, B. PED.
[The following reminiscences are from
the pen of a Highland county
pioneer, one Thomas Rogers, who as the
recital reveals, was born a Vir-
ginian, and at the close of the American
Revolution, moved with his
family to Kentucky and thence in 1795
with the Massie party journeyed
to Paint Creek, vicinity of Chillicothe,
and there abided. This recital
of the scenes of early times, in Ohio,
is worthy of preservation and perusal,
as it is a narrative at first hand,
picturing the every day life of the prim-
itive times and pioneer settlers,
written by one, who though at the time
of writing was nearly ninety years of
age, had clear and vivid recollections
of the long ago. This interesting
document was secured for publication
by Prof. C. L. Martzolff, Athens, Ohio,
who has added to the value of the
"reminiscences" by his
editorial notes. -E.O. R.]
GREENFIELD, (O.) Nov. 3, 1871.
This day I, Thomas Rogers, Sr., seat
myself to write a short
sketch of my life and (of) my
forefathers.
I was born, 1782, in Loudon County,
Virginia, on Goose
Creek. My father, William Rogers, took what was called a
thru life1 lease on a large tract of
land some ten or twelve years
before my day. At that time the country
was under British rule;
but at the close of the Revolutionary
War the country fell into
new hands and my father's title to his
land was disputed, and
the exact manner in which it was settled
I am not able to state
at this distant period. But the result was, two large slave hold-
ers settled on each side of him and so
angered him with their
barbarous treatment of their slaves that
he began to meditate on
a move to some other part.
In the fall of 1783 or 84, I think it
was, my father and two
of the brothers took a trip over the
mountains to the Redstone
or Monongahela country to seek a new
home. At that time they
heard of the great cane lands in
Kentucky as they met with some
that had visited it, and were beating up
for volunteers to join
1A three life lease covered three
generations or 99 years.
(190)